The week in pharma: action, reaction and insight – week to February 24, 2023

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Editor

Last week’s important regulatory news included the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving Travere Therapeutics’ Filspari for the reduction of proteinuria in adults with primary IgAN. Among research news, Actinium Pharmaceuticals released positive Phase III data on its myeloid leukemia candidate Iomab-12. On the M&A front, troubled US drug developer Jounce Therapeutics found a ‘white knight’, entering a reverse merger with the UK’s Redx Pharma. Deal-making saw AstraZeneca sign a licensing agreement with China-based KYM Biosciences for CMG901, a potential gastric cancer treatment to expand its own portfolio. Also, having already forked out around $1 billion in upfront and milestone payments, Swiss pharma giant Roche terminated its agreement with US biotech Blueprint Medicines on the cancer drug Gavreto.

Filspari approved with REMS for monthly LFTs in first year